Why January is the perfect time for employee appraisals

Appraisals commonly take place at the beginning of the year, as this enables attainable and clear goals to be established early, while the previous year’s performance is still relevant and fresh in everyone’s mind.

In years gone by, December was considered by many companies to be the appropriate time for annual employee performance reviews, but this appears to be a dying trend. Dubbed the “December surprise”, the practice of an end-of-year discussion with employees is going out of favour, largely because it can end the year on a low.

Hitting workers with sudden bombshells just before Christmas if their performance hasn’t met expectations isn’t considered good practice, as it can dent morale and may leave them feeling unsettled and even looking for a new job in the new year.

Practical benefits of January appraisals

Having appraisals in January avoids the chaos of December’s year-end deadlines, positioning teams for success by starting the new year in a goal driven and focused work environment.

When carried out properly, an annual appraisal can motivate your team members and boost morale by focusing on areas for improvement through constructive feedback, rather than sounding like criticism.

Recognising and praising strengths and “sandwiching” them around areas that need attention, while always ending on a positive note, is a technique commonly used to ensure meetings don’t leave feelings of negativity.

An appraisal is vital for professional development and growth, identifying both the potential for career progression and also skills gaps. The aim is to facilitate a continuous learning journey, boosting engagement and creating a platform to resolve any issues.

Employees are more likely to be receptive to feedback and motivated to improve when appraisals align with the start of a new year. On returning to the office in January, everyone knows exactly what to expect and so they can be better prepared.

Best practices for New Year appraisals

Providing actionable strategies, such as aligning appraisals with company goals, preparing in advance and incorporating employee input are all important ways of ensuring January one-to-one meetings are beneficial.

Engagement suffers when managers and employees experience a disconnect, with 73% of workers saying they would like their manager to be clearer about goals and expectations during appraisals, according to research by Office Vibe.

Three-quarters of respondents say they don’t receive additional feedback in a timely manner about whether their performance has improved, negating the purpose of a January appraisal. Companies should measure the success of discussions through post meeting surveys, goal completion rates and further feedback from team members and managers. Companies that complete regular feedback, particularly those who emphasise employee strengths, have been able to reduce staff turnover by an average of 14%, according to a Gallup poll.

When carried out effectively, appraisals can increase productivity by providing a platform to acknowledge achievements. This in turn enables workers to reach their full potential and ensures their goals align with company objectives, creating a happy and more productive team.

A lack of clear goals and inadequate performance assessments can lead to dissatisfaction if employees feel they’re not being heard or taken seriously, with 37% saying they’ve quit a job for this reason. It’s crucial to follow up on any support and career advancements discussed during an appraisal such as further training, formal qualifications or mentoring, so team members feel their views are valued.

Regular catch-ups can help keep communications open and monitor progress. Around one-fifth of employees are dissatisfied with how one-to-one meetings are followed up, as they feel like their feedback “isn’t important enough to share” when no-one speaks to them about it again at a later date.

Meeting room London

Many companies consider that professional meeting rooms in London provide an ideal setting for these key activities: hiring a purpose built venue shows employees that you take the appraisal system seriously and value their time and opinions.

A professional environment also offers enhanced privacy, without the potential distractions often experienced in a regular boardroom or office, where phone calls and other disruptions can have a negative impact. With suitable facilities and a convenient location, London meeting rooms can enhance engagement by enabling team members to speak freely: a comfortable setting in a quiet room helps them feel more confident about sharing personal ideas and views.

The most common topics during appraisals include ways of improving morale, which concerns 42% of employees, followed by worries about a heavy workload, something 37% of workers feel stressed about. One-third of employees don’t feel comfortable with the company culture, which is something they may feel awkward about discussing in the office – investing in meeting room hire in London can help them open up when there’s no chance of a private conversation being overheard.

Early employee appraisals lay the foundations for the year ahead and, when handled correctly, they create a framework for greater motivation, development and productivity.